1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle body reinforcing structure, and more particularly, to a vehicle body reinforcing structure for increasing rigidity of a vehicle body.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, shock-absorbing performance refers to performance that mitigates impact force that occurs when two objects collide.
Recently, stability performance has attracted attention, among items of performance of a vehicle. The stability performance includes shock-absorbing performance at the time of a vehicle collision. In addition, the shock-absorbing performance is a major part of determining marketability of the vehicle. Of course, devices such as airbags and seat belts are used to mitigate impact transmitted to occupants at the time of a vehicle collision. However, the shock-absorbing performance of a vehicle body needs to be improved prior to improving performance of safety devices.
Particularly, a front body of the vehicle is a place where an engine, a front wheel suspension system, a radiator, a steering gear box and the like are mounted, and rigidity of the front body is required. Further, in the case of a front-wheel (FF) drive vehicle, since an engine room is positioned in the front body, rigidity of the front body is more important. Therefore, the front body needs to be designed to mitigate impact force and protect occupants in the interior of the vehicle at the time of a vehicle collision.
The front body includes a shock absorber housing, a front side member, a fender apron, and the like.
The shock absorber housing is a housing in which a shock absorber is mounted. The shock absorber is a constituent element of a suspension system which stabilizes the vehicle body against external impact. Further, the shock absorber allows a spring, which receives and cancels impact, to be smoothly operated, and attenuates vibration of the spring.
The front side members are members that form a frame of the front body, and mounted at both sides of a front portion below a dashboard that partitions the front body and the interior room of the vehicle. That is, the front side members are mounted at both sides of a front floor that constitutes a front bottom of the interior room of the vehicle. Further, the front side member mainly has a structure which blocks impact that is applied to the suspension system. In addition, the front side member serves to support a front bumper.
The shock absorber housing is installed on the front side member. Further, the shock absorber housing is coupled to the front side member and the fender apron by spot welding.
The fender apron refers to a portion that is positioned inside a fender, and partitions a wheel and the engine room. Further, the fender apron is coupled to the shock absorber housing and the front side member. In addition, the fender apron supports force transmitted from the suspension system, and protects numerous components.
Recently, a size of a head lamp has increased. Therefore, there is a need to adjust for a shape of the fender apron which prevents interference between the fender apron and the head lamp.
However, in a case in which a part of the fender apron has a curved shape or a tapered shape in order to prevent interference with the head lamp, rigidity of the fender apron may deteriorate, and shock-absorbing performance of the front body may be adversely affected.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.